Before the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels, US Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby emphasized the importance of collective efforts to strengthen Europe’s defense capabilities. He noted that the stance of American leadership has prompted European countries to rethink their own security.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Rethinking Europe’s Role in NATO
Colby highlighted that, thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, by 2025 the alliance countries demonstrated a renewed commitment and desire for Europe to take a leading role in NATO’s conventional defense. He described this process as a return to the principles of the original “NATO 1.0,” when the alliance was a “serious union” focused on defense issues and deterring threats.
“Thanks to the historic leadership of President Trump and Secretary General (NATO Mark Rutte – ed.), by 2025 you saw a rethinking and a genuine, sincere commitment to having Europe lead NATO’s conventional defense.”
Unity and a New Partnership Strategy
According to a US Department of Defense representative, NATO countries must act cohesively, demonstrate pragmatism, and focus on “flexible realism,” which defines the modern National Security and National Defense Strategy. Colby expressed confidence that such approaches would allow the alliance to evolve into a model of “NATO 3.0,” based on partnership rather than dependency, aligning with the original principles of the alliance.
He emphasized that the United States has repeatedly urged NATO member countries to increase defense spending. President Donald Trump has consistently pointed out the inadequate funding from European allies and questioned the alliance’s long-term sustainability. In June 2025, NATO member countries agreed on a target of 5% of their national budgets for defense, which they plan to achieve by 2035.